My View on all things Yankees, Nets, and the NFL

Menu

Search

wild card

We’ve reached week 3 of the season, and still have 8 undefeated and 8 winless teams. There have also been a lot of big injuries early that will have a big impact on week 3 and beyond. As for my picks, I’m 18-14 through 2 weeks. Here’s what I’m thinking going into week 3.

Thursday Night Football

Texans @ Patriots: Jimmy Garoppolo left with a shoulder injury for New England, who still managed to move to 2-0. This was thanks in large part to Garoppolo’s 3 touchdown passes before his injury as well as a big performance from LeGarrett Blount in the run game. The Texans took down the Chiefs on the strength of their defense to move to 1-1, a stark difference from their 33-0 loss to Kansas City in the playoffs. Without Garoppolo, I think the Texans will do enough to get another win to start off the week 3 action. HOUSTON WINS

Sunday 1pm Games

Ravens @ Jaguars: Baltimore got very lucky in week 2, as they overcame a 20-0 1st quarter deficit to improve to 2-0. Cleveland never scored again, while Joe Flacco brought his team back with a 25-45, 302 yard performance. Their opponents have been disappointing to me so far. While I didn’t think the Jaguars were going to make the playoffs this season, I thought they’d be better than they’ve shown, starting 0-2 again after They crossed midfield only six times and committed three turnovers. BALTIMORE WINS

Lions @ Packers: Both teams enter 1-1 after losing in week 2, and are looking to keep pace with the 2-0 Vikings. The Packers lost their game in the 4th quarter, turning the ball over twice, while allowing Rodgers to be sacked 5 times. Detroit also lost their game in the 4th quarter when they were outscored 13-0 by the Titans, including a 93-yard game winning drive. The Lions didn’t have a go to back in week 2, losing Ameer Abdullah to an injury. So who gets back in the win column this week? I’ll take the Packers at home with a much-needed big day from Eddie Lacy. GREEN BAY WINS

Redskins @ Giants: Washington won the NFC East a year ago, but have opened up this season 0-2. Struggles in the red zone and an inability to force turnovers meant a loss in a back-and-forth affair with Dallas last week. New York’s offense moved up and down the field pretty easily on Sunday, but also struggled in the redzone, and had too many turnovers in the 1st half. But the defense and special teams stepped up and they moved to 2-0. So who takes this division matchup? Give me the home team to get over their redzone struggles and take advantage of Eli Manning’s league leading completion percentage, which should be even better as the Giants receiving core dropped at least 5 balls in week 2. NEW YORK WINS

Browns @ Dolphins: For the 5th week in a row (dating back to last season), Cleveland will be starting a different QB. Someone should tell them this isn’t baseball, there’s no starting rotation in football. Even with the QB carousel, the Browns almost, and should have, pulled out their first win in week 2. They were up 20-2 on the Ravens, thanks in big part to their ground attack, but fell late. Miami isn’t in any better a position than their week 3 opponents, as they enter action at 0-2 as well. The Dolphins were down big early to the Pats, but made a comeback after Jimmy Garoppolo went down with an injury. Cleveland will be in this game until the end because Miami has had issues stopping the run early. But even of Isaiah Crowell goes big on the ground, I still think they pull out the win at home. MIAMI WINS

Vikings @ Panthers: Minnesota will now be without their starting QB and running back for the rest of the season after Adrian Peterson went down in their game on Sunday night. The Vikings defense looked stong against Aaron Rogers in week 2. As for Carolina, they rebounded offensively in week 2, but they still struggled a bit on defense, allowing the Niners to score 27. They’ll be without their running back Jonathan Stewart, but were picked up by Fozzy Whittaker on the ground. Despite the 27 points allowed, I like the Panthers chances of stopping Sam Bradford and the new Vikings weapon and league receiving yards leader Stefon Diggs. CAROLINA WINS

Broncos @ Bengals: Andy Dalton has gotten off to a nice start this season, leading the league with 732 passing yards, so here’s a good test for the Broncos league leading defense. CJ Anderson is having a good start to the season, and we’ve seen the Bengals give up the most rushing yards per game to start the season, so he should be able to help eat a lot of clock for Denver. DENVER WINS

Cardinals @ Bills: Arizona rebounded from a tough week 1 loss by handily beating the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Cardinals led the league in total offense, while the Bills dropped to 0-2 despite putting up 31 points of their own in week 2. Buffalo has let their offensive coordinator go, so they really need this game. Too bad I don’t think they’ll get it. Look for a big game from running back Daniel Johnson. ARIZONA WINS

Raiders @ Titans: Oakland has not been able to stop anyone through two weeks, something I wasn’t expecting, allowing 70 points so far. Tennessee has actually done a very nice job on defense. Both teams are 1-1 heading into this game, but I still like the Raiders better. The Titans offense hasn’t shown the big play ability the Raiders have, so Oakland should be able to hold them down better than they did with New Orleans and Atlanta. OAKLAND WINS

Sunday 4/425pm Games

Rams @ Buccaneers: LA’s defense showed up in week 2, Tampa’s did not. The difference between these two teams is the offense. While the Bucs went from scoring 4 TDs to 1, I feel more confident about their offense than the Rams, who have scored just 9 points in two games. The best chance the Rams have is if their defense can do what it did a week ago, and good game out of Todd Gurley. That being said, I’ll take the home team in this one. TAMPA BAY WINS

49ers @ Seahawks: This is a big (albeit early) NFC West battle between two 1-1 teams. San Francisco followed up a surprise week 1 win with a defensive breakdown against Carolina. Seattle had one of their worst offensive games in this recent stretch of Superbowl quality teams, scoring just a field goal against the L.A. Rams. I can’t see the Seahawks being held down again, especially by the Niners. Russell Wilson should be able to dominate in this one. SEATTLE WINS

Steelers @ Eagles: I never thought this would be a game where both teams have a chance to move to 3-0, but here we are. DeAngelo Williams has been huge for Pittsbrgh in the abscense of Le’Veon Bell, who is out one more week due to suspension. Philadelphia has gotten about as good as you can ever hope to from a rookie quarterback in Carson Wentz, who hasn’t turned the ball over yet. It should be a good game, but I will go with the experience in this one.PITTSBURGH WINS

Jets @ Chiefs: Two teams I picked to make the playoffs in the AFC face off in Kansas City this weekend. New York picked up their first win last week, thanks to the offense. Off-season acquisition Matt Forte finished with 100 yards rushing, and three rushing touchdowns. Eric Decker and Brandon Marshall both finished with 100 receiving yards as well. The Jets defense wasn’t as impressive as it was week 1. The Chiefs hope that’s the case again this week, as they couldn’t get much of anything started against Houston. A lot went right for New York last week, and I can’t see them doing quite that well against Kansas City’s defense as they did against Buffalo. If this were a home game for the Jets I might choose differently, but it’s a home game for the Chiefs, so I’ll go with them this week. KANSAS CITY WINS

Chargers @ Colts: San Diego is 2-0, Indianapolis is 0-2. I really thought that the Colts would be able to do better than they have on defense, but they haven’t. San Diego has looked very good on offense to start this season, Indy has been very up and down. INDIANAPOLIS WINS

Sunday Night Football

Bears @ Cowboys: Chicago is 0-2 despite holding early leads in both week 1 and week 2. And now they’ll be without starting quarterback Jay Cutler due to a thumb injury. Their best hope to beat the Cowboys is to continue limiting the passing game, as the Bears rank 4th in the NFL allowing 224 yards a game. As for Dallas, they picked up their first win thanks to another clean day from Dak Prescott and a big night on the ground. The Boys were already a better team than the Bears before the Cutler injury, so give me Dallas at home to move to 2-1. DALLAS WINS

Monday Night Football

Falcons @ Saints: Atlanta picked up their first win against an impressive Raiders team in week 2, while New Orleans dropped to 0-2 after a game winning field goal by the Giants. Atlanta hasn’t had any problems scoring this season, but their defense has struggled at times. New Orleans’ defense was much better in week 2, forcing 3 turnovers, but it wasn’t enough. I picked the Saints to make the playoffs, so this is a huge game for them. If they want to get their first win, they have to figure out how to run the ball. The Falcons tend to be very inconsistent, so give me New Orleans at home in a shootout. NEW ORLEANS WINS

Week 1 sure didn’t disappoint. We had a ton of close games, a few massive comebacks and plenty of big performances.

The Broncos showed why they are the defending champs, the Patriots showed they are all about the next man up and the Raiders offense made us all pay attention. Over in the NFC, we learned that Jordy Nelson doesn’t take long to get back into the flow after an injury, Victor Cruz can still get past defenders and into the end-zone, and that Jameis Winston can score with the best of them.

I went 8-8 for my week 1 picks. Here’s to hoping week 2 goes better.

Thursday Night Football

Jets @ Bills: In both teams first division game, it’s a battle to avoid an 0-2 start. Both teams had impressive defensive showings in week 1. The Jets were able to get to Andy Dalton for a record 7 sacks thanks to a big day from their defensive line. Darrelle Revis was exploited by A.J. Green like few others have been able to in the corner’s 10-year career. Buffalo held Baltimore to one touchdown, and not much on the ground. New York was hurt by missed PAT and FG from the usually on-point Nick Folk and a late Ryan Fitzpatrick interception. So which team should feel better about their chances in week 2? I like the Jets to fix their little mistakes on offense this week. NEW YORK WINS

Sunday 1pm Games

Saints @ Giants: If there’s one thing we learned in week 1, it’s that the Saints defense isn’t much better than last season, while the Giants defense finally learned to limit damage. New York shouldn’t be happy about allowing the Cowboys to dominate time of possession, but Big Blue should be very excited about how their wide receiving core looked. Victor Cruz scored his first touchdown since 2014, rookie wideout Sterling Shepard got his first and Odell Beckham Jr. took pressure off both. The game-winning drive for New York featured solid offensive line play they’ve desperately lacked the past couple of seasons. New Orleans had no issues on offense in week 1, with Drew Brees throwing 4 touchdowns. Oakland took that game with a late drive and two-point conversion on the road, leaving a hungry Saints team looking to avoid an 0-2 start. Last year’s match-up between these two meant 101 combined points. While I don’t think it will get that bad this time around, it could still be a shootout. Obviously, I liked what the Giants did a lot more in week 1 than the Saints, but I can’t see an 0-2 start for this Saints team. NEW ORLEANS WINS

Titans @ Lions: Detroit’s offense looked very good in week 1. The defense struggled in the second half, blowing a 21 point lead only to hold on in the end for a 1-0 start. Tennessean saw signs of life from DeMarco Murray on offense, but allowed Minnesota to score not one, but two defensive touchdowns. The Lions definitely hold the edge in offense heading into week 2, but I don’t think Detroit can replicate that again. Look for Marcus Mariota to have a big day. TENNESSEE WINS

Cowboys @ Redskins: One team lost by a point at home in week 1, the other got beat down. Dallas had a shot to get rookie QB Dak Prescott a win in his debut, but time management cost them a shot at a game-winning field goal. Washington looked pretty good defensively early against Pittsburgh on Monday night, then Antonio Brown showed up. The Cowboys were able to eat up a lot of clock Sunday, and the way the Skins played the run against Pittsburgh, Dallas can absolutely do that again. Washington’s run game gained less than 60 yards. That’ll be the difference. DALLAS WINS

Chiefs @ Texans: Both teams come into this match-up at 1-0, but with work to do. Slow starts could’ve doomed both in their first games, but things got going late. Brock Osweiler led the Texans on a 23-0 run after spotting the Bears 14 early. KC had to come back from down 21-0 and get the win in overtime. At least both teams know they can comeback from an early deficit? If Houston wants to win this game, they need another big day from Lamar Miller. While I absolutely think they can get that big day, I think the Chiefs are simply the better team. Alex Smith had one of his best games, without needing to run the ball like he is known to do. KANSAS CITY WINS

Dolphins @ Patriots: No Tom Brady? No Rob Gronkowski? No problem. Jimmy Garoppolo showed his game management skills in their week 1 win over the Cards. The Pats won the battle of special teams, as Stephen Gostkowskiwent 3-f0r-3 on field goals, including a 53-yard footer, while the Cards missed a potential game winner with 41 seconds to go. Miami was able to stand pat against the Seahawks in week 1, putting together a masterful 86-yard touchdown drive to take a lead in the fourth quarter. But they fell anyway. NEW ENGLAND WINS

Ravens @ Browns: Baltimore’s defense was at a peak level it hasn’t been at in years in week 1. That being said, the Ravens offense wasn’t very impressive, though give credit to Tennessee there. Joe Flacco was sharp throwing the ball, and got his team into the red zone four times. Cleveland is already on quarterback number 2 after Robert Griffin went down in his Browns debut. As if that wasn’t bad enough in week 1, the Browns couldn’t stop Carson Wentz, who they passed on in the draft. Whoever said the curse was broken in Cleveland after the Cavs win wasn’t looking broadly enough. Cleveland needs to establish the run in week 2 if they have any shot of winning, and even then I don’t think it’ll be enough. BALTIMORE WINS

Niners @ Panthers: The team entering this match-up 1-0 isn’t the team I thought would be doing so. San Francisco laid the goose egg on the Rams in week 1, while the Panthers lost a heart-breaker to the defending champs. As good as the Niners looked Sunday night, they still aren’t in the same league as this Carolina team, and there is no way the team I tabbed for a Superbowl this season starts 0-2, especially with this game taking place at home. Blaine Gabbert won’t have it so easy in week 2. CAROLINA WINS

Bengals @ Steelers: Cincinnati escaped week 1 with a road win in New York in a back-and-forth affair. Then, the Steelers rebounded from a slow start to take an easy one from the Skins. Both teams got huge performances from their number 1 wide receivers, meaning the game comes down to the ground and pound. DeAngelo Williams made up for the lack of Le’Veon Bell and then some. So who gets this first AFC North win? Give me the black and yellow in week 2. PITTSBRUGH WINS

Sunday 4/425pm Games

Buccaneers @ Cardinals: Jameis Winston had his best game as a pro. And Tampa’s defense did a great job stopping the run against Atlanta, but need to figure out how to stop the big plays. As for the Cardinals, they fell late to the Patriots on a field-goal. What gives in week 2? I love this Arizona squad. Larry Fitzgerald looks amazing. It took them some time to get going in week 1, but I think they can get going earlier at home against this Bucs defense and get their 1st win of the season. ARIZONA WINS

Seahawks @ Rams: Seattle escaped week 1 with a win on the strength of their defense. L.A. on the other hand, looked like the worst team in the league by far. They couldn’t stop a Niners offense that wasn’t expected to do much this season, while their own offense looked lost. Last year, the Rams seemed to play up to their competition or down to them, so they could look a bit better this week. But I also don’t expect the Seahawks to look so bad on offense again this week. SEATTLE WINS

Falcons @ Raiders: Atlanta has missed the playoffs the last two seasons, and their defense did little to reassure their fans that this wouldn’t be a third straight. Scoring has never been the Falcons’ problem, but if they can’t get the run game going this week, they’re in trouble. The Raiders showed why a lot of people (myself included) have tabbed them to make the postseason this year. They can score with anyone, and no one believes that more than head coach Jack del Rio who went for two late to give the team a 1-point win on the road. The Falcons have to control the clock or the Raiders will put them in an 0-2 hole.OAKLAND WINS

Jaguars @ Chargers: I was impressed with both of these teams in week 1. Both teams lost, but they held their own against two of the league’s best teams (Green Bay and Kansas City). The big play ability of the Jags defense will keep them in most games offensively. San Diego got a big game on the ground, but the defense let up big time in the 2nd half. This could be a high scoring game, but I like Jags on the road. JACKSONVILLE WINS

Colts @ Broncos: Andrew Luck woke up big time in the 2nd half last season, but the defense left a lot to be desired. Denver looked strong coming off their Superbowl win, doing big things on the ground with C.J. Anderson. Indianapolis isn’t facing quite the QB that Matthew Stafford is, and while I liked this Colts team coming into the season, give me another win for the Broncos this week. DENVER WINS

Sunday Night Football

Packers @ Vikings: The Packers looked good last week, getting Jordy Nelson back into the flow of the offense right away. Minneosta pulled out a week 1 win thanks to their defense scoring two touchdowns against the Titans. Adrian Peterson was stuffed by a lesser front than the Packers. Sure it’s a division game, which is always tougher no matter if there is a talent gap. But with Green Bay getting Nelson going so quickly is bad news for the Vikings. I like the Pack to get to 2-0. GREEN BAY WINS

Monday Night Football

Eagles @ Bears: Carson Wentz didn’t look like a rookie in week one, while veteran Jay Cutler got shut out in the 2nd half to drop his first of the season. I don’t particularly like either one of these teams, and while Jay Cutler can put up big numbers, I feel like the Bears don’t have many big play makers right now. It won’t be as easy for the Eagles this week as it was last week, but I still think they’ll pull this one out. PHILADELPHIA WINS

Another year is upon us! The Denver Broncos are the reigning World Champions, and look to repeat with a brand new man under center with the retirement of Peyton Manning. Nope, not Brock Osweiler. And no it’s not Mark Sanchez either. Another AFC powerhouse in the New England Patriots will also be without their future hall-of-fame quarterback as Tom Brady serves a four game suspension. Absences and shakeups at the top means a lot can change from last season’s playoff picture. My team to watch this season will be the Oakland Raiders.

For me, the NFC is where the powerhouses will be in the in the 2016-2017 season. Carolina is fresh off a Superbowl loss, but were able to keep together their core. Arizona and Seattle will be there once again in an absolutely loaded NFC West. Green Bay gets back one of their biggest weapons in Jordy Nelson to go along with what the Packers hope is a reinvigorated Eddie Lacy at running back. And not to be forgotten are Superbowl vets like Drew Brees and Eli Manning who are looking to regain control of their respective divisions.

NFC Playoff Teams AFC Playoff Teams

Cardinals Chiefs

Panthers Bengals

Packers Broncos

Giants Colts

Seahawks Jets

Saints Raiders

NFC Championship

Cardinals @ Panthers: CAROLINA WINS

AFC Championship

Bengals @ Chiefs: KANSAS CITY WINS

Superbowl XLI

Panthers vs Chiefs: CAROLINA WINS

Now that I’ve gotten ahead of myself, here are my week 1 predictions.

Thursday Night Football

Panthers @ Broncos: The season kicks off with a rematch of Superbowl XL. Denver will raise their banner, and get their first look at Trevor Siemian at QB. Cam Newton and company will begin their quest to get back to the Superbowl. The Panthers have put the big loss behind them, and with their core still in tact, they are better prepared for a run than Denver is for their title defense. The Broncos will still be good, especially if CJ Anderson can continue to grow in the run game. But I like the Panthers to get the win this time around. CAROLINA WINS

Sunday 1PM Games

Buccaneers @ Falcons: The battle for the South gets going quickly with a Bucs team with ambitions of not finishing last in their division, and a Falcons team looking to get back to the playoffs. This is going to be a shoot out with two great offenses going head-to-head. I simply have more trust in Atlanta during the regular season right now, so I’ll take their defense to make the big stop down the stretch over Tampa Bay. ATLANTA WINS

Bills @ Ravens: I see both of these teams being better than they were last season, but not by much. Buffalo has a higher ceiling right now, especially if Tyrod Taylor can figure out his fumbling problem. He makes pretty good decisions in the passing game, should get more out of LeSean McCoy this season and has a defense capable for being near the top of the league. Joe Flacco won’t be without back Justin Forsett, who led the team in rushing the past two season, as previously thought since he has re-signed after being cut days ago. Beyond that, I’m not a fan of the Ravens offense past Mike Wallace and Steve Smith Sr. I’m going with the AFC in this one. BUFFALO WINS

Bears @ Texans: Chicago finished last season in the cellar of the NFC North, while Houston won the AFC South. I see little evidence to suggest the Bears can get back into relevancy this season, while I think the Texans will lose the division to the Colts once again. The Bears let Matt Forte walk, as well as the franchise leader in scoring, kicker Robbie Gould. Houston is expected to have their defensive weapon in JJ Watt ready to go, so expect Jay Cutler to feel the pressure all day. HOUSTON WINS

Browns @ Eagles: Both teams will have new starting quarterbacks this season. Former rookie of the year Robert Griffin III gets a fresh start with Cleveland, while actual rookie Carson Wentz will become the first rookie to start week 1 in Eagles history (ELIAS). The Browns were bottom 10 in total defense and offense last season, resulting in a 3-13 record. Philly hopes their new QB and another year with DeMarco Murray will help get them over the .500 mark and challenge in the East. Opening at home with these pieces means a week 1 win for the birds. PHILADELPHIA WINS

Raiders @ Saints: Week 1 features a matchup of two teams I think will make the playoffs this season. The Saints defense wasn’t anything to write home about a season ago, allowing at least 20 points in every game but two (17 allowed in each of those). But Drew Brees had another stellar year, leading the league in passing yards. New Orleans parted ways with the team’s all-time leader in TD receptions, Marques Colston, but expect big things from Mark Ingram. Oakland gets another year of Derek Carr and Amari Cooper doing big things in the pass attack. A lot of moves on defense in the offseason has the Raiders poised for a big season. That being said, I like the Saints in a tight one at home. But I will not be surprised at all if Oakland steals one at the Superdome either. NEW ORLEANS WINS

Chargers @ Chiefs: Kansas City’s offense never really looks pretty on paper after Jamaal Charles, but they continue to make it work. Their defense is one of the league’s best and that will carry them again this season. The opposite can be said for San Diego. Philip Rivers has a very good group of pass catchers that should give the Chargers a chance in every game. Their consistency is always questionable on defense, and in a tough AFC West, they’ll need to figure that out. I really like the Chiefs this season, they return a lot of key pieces off a second round playoff appearance last year. KANSAS CITY WINS

Bengals @ Jets: Here’s another game with two teams I think will see the postseason. New York hopes their run game will be revitalized with the acquisition of Matt Forte, while getting even more out of Ryan Fitzpatrick than they did a year ago. I’ve said it before, but it’s time for the Bengals to take the next step. There’s some concern that Cincinnati is lacking depth at defensive end, but they’ve been able to dominate defensively in the past, and I think they can figure it out. It won’t be easy, but I like the Bengals to get a road win off the jump. CINCINNATI WINS

Packers @ Jaguars: Aaron Rodgers has his favorite target in Jordy Nelson back. If he can get 2013-14 Eddie Lacy back, look out for the Packers once again. Jacksonville’s offense took a step in the right direction last year, and they were much better at home. But while the Jaguars are still a few pieces away, the Packers are primed to make a deep run through the NFC once again. GREEN BAY WINS

Vikings @ Titans: Coming into the season, I thought this was going to be a very good game against two teams looking to prove themselves. Minnesota is coming off a playoff year where they lost to Seattle in the Wildcard round… by one point at home. Tennessee on the other hand are coming off a 3-13 season in which they won their first two games. Offense wasnt exactly their issue, with the 2nd ranked running game. But losing Marcus Mariota didn’t help. I really like the Vikings, but losing Teddy Bridgewater before the start of the season is tough, and now they look to Sam Bradford to keep them afloat in an always competitve NFC North. Give me the Titans on the ground with a healthy Mariota in week 1. TENNESSEE WINS

Sunday 4/425PM Games

Dolphins @ Seawhawks: Miami was one of the more disappointing teams a season ago. They spent a lot of money on defense in the off-season leading up to last year, and it didn’t do much. The Dolphins allowed the second most yards a game in the AFC. Add a bottom 10 offense, and you can see why they finished below .500 and last in the East. Miami is a case of just hoping their talent will come together all at once (sound familiar with Miami teams?). Seattle had another good season in 2015, though they didn’t look great in the playoffs after two straight Superbowl appearances. They lost Marshawn Lynch, but return most of their stars on offense and always have the Legion of Boom to fall back on. This should be one of the easier wins of week 1 for the Hawks. SEATTLE WINS

Giants @ Cowboys: If ever there was a year for the New York Giants to run through the NFC East, it’s this one. Even in their Superbowl seasons they couldn’t win the division. But with Tony Romo out, and two rookies starting in Dallas and Philadelphia, the Skins are the only other team returning their starter from a year ago. Yes, Kirk Cousins got his team to the playoffs last season, but Eli Manning was the best QB in that division last season, and if his defense can at least be middle of the pack, and not dead last, this should be an easy return to the playoffs. Dak Prescott was impressive for Dallas in the preseason, but Big Blue has never had problems playing in the lone star state, and I don’t see it being a problem this season either. NEW YORK WINS

Lions @ Colts:The worst defense in the AFC last season belonged to the Colts. Not having a run game again meant they couldn’t sustain drives the way you’d want to mask that. The hope is veteran back Frank Gore can regain some of his old magic along with keeping Andrew Luck healthy. As for Detroit, they are another case of talent never panning out for an entire season. And with the retirement of Calvin Johnson, the Lions lose their most consistent and explosive weapon. It could be another ugly season in Detroit, while I expect a bounce back from Indy. INDIANAPOLIS WINS

Sunday Night Football

Patriots @ Cardinals: New England starts the season without Tom Brady and defensive end Rob Ninkovich due to suspensions. In an improved AFC East, those 4 games without them could be trouble, especially since im not a fan of their rushing attack. Add a hungry and dangerous Cardinals team, and you’ve got a recipe for a week 1 loss. Arizona’s depth on offense is pretty impressive, and their defense should be really good again. A home win to kick off the season is in the cards for the birds. ARIZONA WINS

Monday Night Football

Steelers @ Redskins: Washington got some help on defense in the off-season acquisition of Josh Norman, but I still don’t think it’s going to be enough. The skins do get a break on defense since Pitt will be without top flight running back Le’Veon Bell who is suspended to start the season. But the Steelers have more than enough big play threats and I don’t know if Kurt Cousins can replicate what he did last season. PITTSBURGH WINS

Rams @ 49ers:Blaine Gabbert gets the starting job in San Francisco as that organization looks to distance itself from off-the-field stories. They open up against a Rams team ready to take the next step. The newly name Los Angeles Rams biggest issue was inconsistency last season, beating the Cardinals and Seahawks, but losing to the Bears at home. They’ve got a top flight running back and a better than average defense. It’s going to be another long season for the Niners. LOS ANGELES WINS

Well that’s it. Time to sit back, relax and wait for kickoff! Enjoy week 1 everyone.

The final week of the regular season is upon us, the Panthers are undefeated no longer and there is still a lot to decide for the postseason. There are two spots left up for grabs, both in the AFC, but seeding isn’t even close to set yet. We still don’t know who wins the NFC North and we don’t know who wins the AFC South. Three different teams can finish with the number 1 seed in the AFC, while two teams have a shot in the NFC. So sit back and enjoy what is essentially the first week of the playoffs!

I went just 7-9 in my picks last week, making my season total heading into the final slate of games 134-106.

Sunday 1PM games

Jets @ Bills: It’s simple for the Jets. Win and you’re in. New York has won five straight and are back to doing what got them out to a quick start to the season. Buffalo has been up and down all season, and the money they put into the defense didn’t pay off. There are other ways for the Jets to get into the playoffs if they lose, but with a shot to get in against their former coach, I’ll take Gang Green on the road. NEW YORK WINS

Patriots @ Dolphins: New England’s loss to New York in week 16 means they still have something to play for this week, and that’s the number 1 seed in the AFC. They need to win and they get it. If they lose, and the Broncos win, Denver gets it. Miami is playing for pride and to play spoiler. But they won’t. The Patriots injuries are concerning, but Tom Brady in a most win situation and a chance to have the AFC go through Foxborough? I like those odds. NEW ENGLAND WINS

Saints @ Falcons:This wasn’t the season I thought we’d see from New Orleans. I thought they’d bounce back from a down 2014-15 season, but an 1-4 start was too much to come back from, though they tried, getting themselves to .500 at 4-4, before the wheels fell off. The defense was never there for the Saints. It’s been an even stranger year for the Falcons, who got off to a fast 6-1 start, then went on to lose six straight. Now they’ve won two straight, including ending the Panthers undefeated season. They were eliminated from playoff contention thanks to the Vikings win on Sunday night, but they can salvage the season and finish at 9-7, which i think they do in front of their fans. ATLANTA WINS

Ravens @ Bengals: A win secures a first round bye for the Bengals, which is always big, but for a team that has been bounced in the first round four straight years, would be huge.Baltimore was plagued with injuries all season, and are just looking to end the season on a high note. Cincy is coming off a tough OT loss to Denver, but AJ McCaron showed he can succeed while Andy Dalton gets better. At home, with that defense, I am taking the Bengals to give themselves a shot at the bye. CINCINNATI WINS

Steelers @ Browns: Pittsburgh can still make it to the playoffs, but they need to win and they need help. Good thing for them is they are playing the Browns, who can still finish with the worst record in the league. And continuing issues at QB leaves Cleveland with another off-season of questions ahead. Give me the road team to end on a high note, even if they don’t make the playoffs. PITTSBURGH WINS

Jaguars @ Texans: Houston doesn’t have to win to take the AFC South crown, but you always want to take the division, not back into it. They get a tough match-up in Jacksonville, who has shown the ability to score in the second half. But the Texans defense at home with a chance to punch their own ticket will be too much for the Jags to handle. HOUSTON WINS

Titans @ Colts: Indianapolis needs to win this game and get a whole lot of help if they’re to win the South. But as I have already picked the Texans, I don’t think they get there. However, they will win this final game of the year. Tennessee benefits more from losing, plain and simple. INDIANAPOLIS WINS

Redskins @ Cowboys: The Redskins already have the division and can’t finish anywhere but fourth in the NFC. But capping off the season on a four-game win streak and a 9-7 record will further validate their being in the playoffs. Dallas will want to finish on a high note, but they’ve put so many key people on IR that even if the Skins take it easy and rest most of their players, I can’t see the Boys winning their season finale. WASHINGTON WINS

Eagles @ Giants:The loser finishes the season in third place in the NFC East, despite both leading the division at different parts of the season. New York had a clear path to the division, had they played better in the closing minutes of the fourth quarter this season. Good teams finish, and they weren’t able to consistently enough. 7 of the Giants 9 losses were by one score. As for the Eagles, they never got their running game going, and Sam Bradford was a turnover machine. The Eagles destroyed their NFC East rivals at home in their first meeting of the season, so I’ll take the Giants to finish with some pride and return the favor to end both their seasons. NEW YORK WINS

Lions @ Bears: The loser gets the NFC North cellar all to themselves, a far fall for the 11-5 Lions of a season ago. Both teams have played betterhere in the second half of theseason, just good enough to fall closer to the middle of the pack record wise in the league. So who avoids the basement? I like the Lions on the road to finish strong and take a three-game win streak into the off-season. DETROIT WINS

Sunday 425 PM Games

Buccaneers @ Panthers: Tampa Bay showed flashes in 2015 under 1st year QB Jameis Winston, staying the playoff race most of the season. But finishing up the season against the no longer undefeated Panthers is a tough way to go out. Carolina still has something to play for as they haven’t locked up the number 1 seed, and with the Cards playing at the same time, they can’t go into this one knowing if they can rest players or not. Either way, I like the Panthers to finish up at 15-1 and force the NFC to come through Carolina en route to Super Bowl 50.CAROLINA WINS

Raiders @ Chiefs: Oakland could linger on what could’ve been this season after a decent 4-3 start, but they should be excited for the future, after winning just 3 games a year ago, they stayed in the playoff hunt for most of the season with a young team. As for Kansas City, they’re the hottest team in the AFC, and are getting the best of Alex Smith. It’s amazing how the Chiefs got off to such a slow start BEFORE losing Jamaal Charles. Oakland will make this tough, but I think the Chiefs make it 10 straight heading into the playoffs.KANSAS CITY WINS

Chargers @ Broncos: San Diego is going to finish with one of the worst records in the league, while Denver can finish anywhere but 4th in the AFC. A win and a Patriots loss would give them the 1 seed. I think they get the win, but as I think New England wins, I see the Broncos finishing as the two seed. DENVER WINS

Seahawks @ Cardinals:Two of the NFC’s best take flight in week 17. Both teams are playoff bound once again. Seattle has been on fire in the second half, looking more like the two-time defending NFC Champs they are as each week passes. That was before they looked bad at home against the Rams last week. As for Arizona, why are we not giving Carson Palmer more praise for what he’s done with the Cardinals? The team is 29-8 with him under center, 19-2 the past two seasons. They still have a shot at the number 1 seed if the Panthers loseagain.This division match-up will have a playoff feel, but I think the home team gets the W.ARIZONA WINS

Rams @ 49ers: San Francisco’s season was shaped in the off-season when they moved too many pieces. The defense played better as the season when on, and they got a couple more wins after changing QBs, but they’ve got a lot of work to do if they want to get back to their winning ways. As for the Rams, they showed their age, defeating some of the league’s best, including a season sweep of the Rams and handing the Cardinals their first loss.This is also a chance for the Rams to finish 8-8 for the first time since 2006, and I think they finish the job. ST LOUIS WINS

Sunday Night Football

Vikings @ Packers: The battle of the NFC North title caps off the regular season slate. Minnesota has been carried by their defense and rushing attack all season, while Green Bay has been extremely up and down since starting the season 6-0. The Packers rushing attack has been severely underwhelming, and Aaron Rodgers offensive line hasn’t been doing him any favors. The Vikings will be able to hold time of possession, but as the calendar turns to January and the playoffs, I think we will get the best version of Aaron Rodgers, and the Pack will clinch the division on the seasons final day, as they did two years ago against the Bears. GREEN BAY WINS

Carolina remained undefeated in week 13, but it took a huge second half to do so. Meanwhile in the AFC, there’s a three way tie for the best record at 10-2 between Denver, Cincinnati and New England, who managed to lose their second straight game and fall out of a bye if the season ended today.

Lucky for them, and us, we still have plenty of football left. I moved to 109-82 in my picks this season with a 10-6 mark in week 13.

Thursday Night Football

Vikings @ Cardinals: Minnesota couldn’t make a move in week 13, losing badly to a streaking Seahawks team. They allowed the Packers to get back into first place. As for the Cards, they are sitting comfortably in the two spot in the NFC and still have a three game in lead in their division. Both teams have been solid in all phases all season, but Arizona holds a huge edge in the passing game. Until Teddy Bridgewater can consistently put up big numbers in the air, this team is going to be one dimensional on offense. And against an above the fourth best rush defense in the league, Minnesota is going to need more from their second year QB. So as much as I like this Vikings team, I like the home team even more. ARIZONA WINS

Sunday 1PM Games

Bills @ Eagles:Both team are coming off nice wins against playoff hopefuls, while keeping their own playoffs alive. Philly took down the Patriots, giving them their second loss in a row, a rarity in the Tom Brady era. Buffalo evened up their record taking down the Texans, who remain tied atop the AFC South. This is another game where both teams have been inconsistent all season, hence the .500 and below records. I have a lot more faith in the Bills defense however, so give me the road team to move above .500, while the Eagles drop out of first in the East. BUFFALO WINS

49ers @ Browns:Two of the worst teams in the league square off this weekend in Cleveland. The Browns currently hold the worst record, with San Fran sitting two games better than them. The Niners hurt their “chances” at the top draft pick when they took down the Bears in OT. Neither team has had the season they would’ve hoped for and while both teams have a lot of on and off the field questions, I think the Niners find a way to pull out another game this week. SAN FRANCISCO WINS

Lions @ Rams: St. Louis started off the season with a lot of promise, but have totally collapsed in the second half. The opposite can be said for Detroit, who took two months to get a win, and have looked a lot more like the team we expected here the past six weeks or so. Both enter with 4-8 records, but the Lions are the hotter team, and the more talented team. DETROIT WINS

Saints @ Buccaneers:Early on this season, both of these NFC South teams looked like they’d be in-contention for the number 1 pick. And while New Orleans still has an outside shot, both teams have shown glimpses of hope. Tampa Bay knew there would be struggles with a rookie QB, but the number 1 overall pick in Jameis Winston has his team at .500 and in a spot for a possible wild card. Drew Brees and company had gotten to .500 after a very rough start, and despite a two-touchdown lead on the undefeated Panthers in week 13, the Saints are in the middle of a four-game slide. So wins this division match-up? While the Bucs running game is one of the best in the league, and the Saints defense hasn’t been anything to write home about, I’m going to go out on a limb here and take the road team to pick up their fifth win this weekend. NEW ORLEANS WINS

Titans @ Jets: The Jets needed OT in week 13, but they kept their playoff hopes alive against their stadium mates. As for Tennessee, they remain in line for another prime draft pick with a 3-9 record. While the Titans have the ability to score in bunches, they don’t have the ability to stop good teams most days. And the Jets are a good team that can beat you in several ways. That’s why I like the Jets to better their chances at a wildcard berth this week. NEW YORK WINS

Steelers @ Bengals: Pittsburgh has been the most resilient team in the league this season, sitting in a playoff spot in the competitive AFC despite stretches with Ben Roethlisberger and their top flight running back Le’Veon Bell. But they still enter action three games behind the Bengals for the AFC North, and a Cincinnati win this week gives them that crown. This should be a fun game, and despite two good defenses, could be a high scoring one. But whether it is a shoot out or not, I think the Bengals get the job done and move closer to a much needed first round bye.CINCINNATI WINS

Colts @ Jaguars: Neither team has a winning record, but one team has a shot at a division crown. Indianapolis, despite a bad start to the season and losing their Pro-Bowl caliber QB remain in a fight for the AFC South crown. Jacksonville is just playing out the season, preparing for another high draft pick. Sure the Jags have shown promise, but they’ve also shown how young they are. Indy and the ageless Matt Hasselbeck have something to prove and fight for, so give me the Colts to move above .500 here in week 14. INDIANAPOLIS WINS

Chargers @ Chiefs: San Diego has been a disappointment this season, on both sides of the football, while their counterparts have rebounded from a rough start and find themselves in the playoff hunt. Kansas City has won six straight, and are the second hottest team in the league. Their defense has been great all season, and now their offense has closed the gap. They’re playoff vets, and not a team to be taken lightly. The Chargers can definitely play spoiler with Philip Rivers under center, I just don’t think they will. KANSAS CITY WINS

Redskins @ Bears: Washington had a chance to take hold of the NFC Least in week 13, instead they lost a strange game to Dallas. Chicago lost another game late, this time to San Francisco. If the NFC East wasn’t so bad, this would just be a game between two bad teams looking for better draft position. Instead, it has playoff implications too. And while Washington has been a lot better in the second half of the season, I like what the Bears have been able to do in the ground game of late. So give me the Bears to make things more difficult and hard to define in the NFC East. CHICAGO WINS

Falcons @ Panthers: After starting off the season on fire, the Falcons have come crashing back to earth in a big way. Not only are they on a five-game losing streak they are no behind two teams in the NFC South. And a road tilt against the league’s last undefeated team isn’t a great confidence boaster. Cam Newton is playing like an MVP and the defense is playing like champions. Will Carolina stay undefeated through the regular season? Who knows. But unless Atlanta stops turning the ball over and gets the offense of weeks 1-4 back, the Panthers should stay undefeated another week. CAROLINA WINS

Seahawks @ Ravens: Which bird will fly highest in week 14? That’s easy. The Seahawks are on fire, while the Ravens wings were clipped weeks ago. The NFC should be scared with how great Seattle’s offense has looked in recent weeks. And despite the fact that Baltimore hasn’t been horrible defensively, there’s no way they can compete with what the reigning NFC champs are bringing on either side of the ball, not this year. SEATTLE WINS

Sunday 4/425PM Games

Raiders @ Broncos: Another week, another win for Denver, who enters week 14 as the two seed in the AFC. As for the Raiders, who sit two games out of the playoffs, they are just looking to get to .500. This AFC West match-up should still be a good one, but I don’t think it will end in any other way but with another Broncos win. Denver’s defense is too good, and the Raiders offense too inconsistent.DENVER WINS

Cowboys @ Packers: 4-8 versus 8-4 and yet somehow, both teams have a shot at their division. It’s the sad state of the NFC East that a Dallas team on QB number 3 can say that, but after Matt Cassel picked up his first win in a Cowboys uniform Monday against the Redskins, they are just a game out. Meanwhile, the Packers wild finish in Detroit on Aaron Rodgers game ending Hail Mary, coupled with the Vikings loss has them back atop the NFC North. Both teams want this game, but Green Bay needs it. The Packers can’t miss the playoffs after tehir 6-0 start, while Dallas should really focus on getting better in the draft and looking ahead to getting Tony Romo back for next season. Dallas and their fans probably don’t see it that way, but the knowledge they can win this division and be this bad, should tell them a healthy, revamped team in 2016 could go far. Besides, Rodgers and company have been bad at home lately, something they’re not used to. I can’t see another letdown for them. GREEN BAY WINS

Sunday Night Football

Patriots @ Texans:It’s a huge AFC battle on Sunday Night with playoff implications on both sides. As previously mentioned, both teams took unexpected losses in week 13. After starting 10-0, the Pats are now in danger of losing a bye, as both the Bengals and Broncos enter the week with identical 10-2 records. Houston is .500 and could have a shot at having the AFC South all to themselves if the Colts fall this week. I though the Pats would come out angry last week, and instead were embarrassed by the below .500 Eagles. Give me an angry Tom Brady to get back on track and hurt Houston’s playoff chances in week 14. NEW ENGLAND WINS

Monday Night Football

Giants @ Dolphins:One team still has a shot at the division, while the other has a lot of work to do just to get into the playoff discussion and stay out of the cellar in their own division. Both teams enter action with 5-7 records. Of New York’s seven losses, six of them have come by one score (18 combined points), meaning if they’d converted even half of those, they’d be 8-4 and be well on their way to the NFC East crown. Instead, they’re in a three way tie for 1st. As for Miami, they’re up, yet mostly down season has them looking up at everyone else in the AFC East. I keep doing this every week, but for a team led by a coach/QB tandem that have won championships, in years where they were written off about this time, I’m going with New York one last time to save their season. NEW YORK WINS

And then there was one. Carolina stands alone as the league’s lone remaining undefeated team after starting the week with a Thanksgiving Day win. Now that the calendar has flipped to December, the race for the postseason heats up. Here is my look at the 10 best teams, and who the three worst teams are, as we march towards Superbowl 50.

Top 10 Teams Through Week 12

Carolina Panthers (11-0): I would put them at the top even if New England had remained undefeated. Why? Because Carolina has gotten better every week dating back to late last season. Early in the season they struggled on offense, but their defense has been on point all year, currently ranked second overall just behind the Broncos. Add a top five run game, an extremely confident QB and a balanced passing attack, and you’ve got the clear favorite to come out of the NFC right now. There are more experienced teams vying to bring them down, but it’ll be hard to do it before the second round, as they will end the season with one of the two byes.

New England Patriots (10-1): They’ve been close to a loss for a few weeks, and it took overtime for them to finally get one. But to write them off as some have after their loss to Denver on Sunday night is ridiculous. They have suffered a lot of injuries on offense, which is why they have been on a bit of a “slide” of late. But they still have their most important offense weapon in Tom Brady healthy, and Rob Gronkowski’s injury wasn’t as bad as previously thought. They could lose a bye with the recent issues, but I wouldn’t put it past them to rally and hold on even with the injuries. And with a huge lead in the AFC East, something catastrophic would have to happen for them not to make the playoffs. They were knocked down in week 12, but they are still the best team in the AFC until they get knocked out.

Denver Broncos (9-2): It remains to be seen if Peyton Manning has been “Wally Pipped” by Brock Osweiler, but what I do know, is the Broncos offense is finally on par with the defense this season. Sure the run game has picked up, but it doesn’t hurt when the QB isn’t turning the ball over as much as Manning was before he got hurt. Not only was taking down the undefeated Patriots great for this team’s morale, it also means they still have a shot at the number 1 seed in the AFC. They found a way to go 8-0 with a less than spectacular QB performance in the first half. With a younger, hungry QB, this team could go very, very far this season.

Cincinnati Bengals (9-2): A week 12 loss helped turn the tide after a two-game skid ended their run at perfection. Other than on loss which was due to poor offense, the other poor defense, Cincinnati has been consistently great on both sides of the ball. They’ve shown the ability to absolutely dominate, and win the close games. They have a shot a bye, with a game against their biggest competition, Denver, ahead of them. Andy Daltonis having the best season of his young career, something he and the organization need to continue through the playoffs after so many first round exits. Despite being ranked ninth, the run game has been up and down, and they need it to be more consistent. But they’ve shown they can play with anyone, and look primed to get the second round monkey off their back if they continue doing what they’ve been doing, and stay healthy and hungry.

Arizona Cardinals (9-2): It’s amazing what this team has been the past two seasons with a healthy Carson Palmer. 15-2 as the Cardinals starter, with a TD-INT ratio of 38-12, the 13-year veteran is doing a great job leading this team. Larry Fitzgerald is having a renaissance. Their two losses were the only two games where they really let down their guard and played down to their opponents, showing when on point, they can be and have beaten everybody. Arizona boasts the top ranked total offense and fifth defense in the league, proving they are a legit title contender if they can stay healthy.

Minnesota Vikings (8-3):It’s amazing the difference Adrian Peterson has made on this team. A rejuvenated rushing attack has lessened the pressure on second year QB Teddy Bridgewater, who really hasn’t been impressive at all this season. This team truly lives by the ground and pound mentality, relying heavily on it’s top ranked rushing offense, and it’s top 10 defense. They’re better stopping the pass, which is key in the North with the likes of Matt Stafford and Aaron Rodgers. They’re a game up in the division while currently holding a better division record than Green Bay. Their last four games are tough, with two against the best of the NFC West, and a week 17 match-up that could determine the division against the Packers. But if the run game can continue eating up clock, and Bridgewater can find a way to be even a bit better than mediocre, they are in the drivers seat in the North.

Green Bay Packers (7-4): Despite their poor play of late, this team is still a force to be reckoned with. A bright spot in their Thanksgiving Day loss was the return of Eddie Lacy, who had been a disappointment this season. Aaron Rodgers found success early on without his favorite target in Jordy Nelson, throwing to the likes of James Jones. But for some reason, things haven’t clicked on offense for late. The Packers QB isn’t turning the ball over, but his completion percentage is down and with the absence of a consistent run game, the offense has become one dimensional. They know how to win, but one big worry for this team right now is Rodgers health. He said he lost feeling in his fingers against Chicago, so you have to wonder how that will manifest itself going forward.

Kansas City Chiefs (6-5): They’ve won five straight, and are doing exactly what I said they needed to do when I looked ahead to the second half:

Five of their final eight are against below .500 teams, and the three that aren’t, are the teams ahead of them in the West. They can move up quickly if Alex Smith can continue to spread the wealth in the pass game and avoid the late turnovers that have plagued him.

Smith hasn’t been reckless with the football and the team is scoring points in a major way. When they started 1-5, the most points they’d managed to score were 28 against Green Bay, but they then allowed 38. During their five-game winning streak, Kansas City has score no fewer than 23 points, while allowing a total of 61 points. And with the schedule still in their favor down the stretch, and a struggling AFC, this team is primed for a wildcard spot.

Seattle Seahawks (6-5): They’re finally starting to look like the back-to-back NFC Champs that they are. Russell Wilson had one of his best performances in week 11, throwing for five touchdowns. The defense still wasn’t what it’s been, but if the offense can look even close to what it did last week for the stretch run, they’ll make it to the playoffs in this season’s NFC. At this point, they’re only competing with two teams for the wild card (Atlanta and Green Bay).

Houston Texans (6-5): After making the Dolphins look like an offensive juggernaut in week seven, the defense has gotten back on track in a big way. This team was built around their defense and run game, but the loss of Arian Foster meant the passing game needed to step up. And after many changes at quarterback, Brian Hoyer has done enough to lock up the job for now. Four straight wins have put them in a position not only to make the playoffs, but to win the AFC South. And we’ve seen what JJ Watt can do in the playoffs, so the AFC should be nervous.

I went 5-8 last week, bringing my season total to 73-59. Let’s get to week 10’s picks.

Thursday Night Football

Bills @ Jets: Both teams are coming off wins and sit at .500 or better behind the Patriots in the AFC East. The Jets snapped their two game skid last week, but it still wasn’t pretty. The run game was non-existent outside of the red-zone. They allowed Blake Bortles to throw for 381 yards but did pick him off twice and a recovery of a fumble late helped seal their 5th win. As for Buffalo, they got off to a fast start and never looked back against Miami in week 9. The Bills relied heavily on the run game, with two 100 yard rushers, though when they did go to the air, QB Tyrod Taylor hit his mark. Taylor was a very efficient 11/12 for 181 yards. So will this game end with both teams owning 5-4 records or will the Jets move to two games over .500, dropping back to one below? Give me the home team to better their wild card positioning this week. NEW YORK WINS

Sunday 1PM Games

Jaguars @ Ravens: It’s a match-up of 2-6 teams with Baltimore coming off their bye week and the Jaguars coming off the loss to New York. Jacksonville can score with the best of them, but can also be shut down pretty easily, showing their youth and inconsistency. The Ravens however, have been in every game they’ve played, but have failed to make the big play late more often than not. I’ll take the home team in this one. BALTIMORE WINS

Browns @ Steelers: Last week the Browns couldn’t stop the Bengals quest for perfection, while the Steelers found a way to overcome another Ben Roethlisberger injury and no Le’Veon Bell. Johnny Football couldn’t save the Browns from a seventh loss, while DeAngelo Williams went off on the ground, and Antonio Brown had a record day in the air. Despite losing their starter again, I still like the Steelers in this one because their defense and run game are way better than what Cleveland has to offer. PITTSBURGH WINS

Panthers @ Titans: Well, the Panthers are still undefeated and have now put together two very impressive and balanced wins. Tennessee feels better about itself after snapping a six game slide and getting week one Marcus Mariota back. Too bad they face Carolina this week, because there is no way all three phases of the Titans squad can keep up with the Panthers who are on a league high 12-game winning streak dating back to last season. CAROLINA WINS

Bears @ Rams: The Rams are a .500 and actually have the upper hand over the Seahawks if they both win this week. Chicago found a way without Matt Forte to pick up their third win of the season thanks to a big night from Alshon Jeffery and a good job stopping the Chargers run game. I like the Rams defense but they tend to play up or down to their opponents. That being said, I like St Louis’ chances at home even if they do play down to Chicago. ST LOUIS WINS

Cowboys @ Buccaneers:This should be the last week the Cowboys are without Tony Romo, and considering they haven’t won without him, that’s a good thing. They haven’t gotten killed without him, but the offense just hasn’t done enough to help out the defense. As for Tampa, they’ve been very up and down, but have been in their last few games until the end. Unless the Cowboys get the run game going in Tampa, I like the Buccaneers to make it seven straight losses for Dallas. TAMPA BAY WINS

Lions @ Packers:A down-and-out Detroit team versus a down Green Bay team. Detroit continues to have the clearest path to the number one pick thanks to their barely one-win on the season so far. Now they face a Packers team that is struggling after a 7-0 start. Not to mention that it’s been two decades since the Lions have won on the road versus the Pack. Make it another road loss for the hapless Lions. GREEN BAY WINS

Dolphins @ Eagles: One team dropped a division match-up last week, the other picked up a needed division win. Miami sits in the cellar of the AFC East, while Philadelphia evened up their record and moved within a game of the Giants for first place in the NFC East. The offense wasn’t the problem for the Dolphins last week, but it hasn’t been a consistent year for Tannehill and company. I still don’t trust Sam Bradford so I like the Fins on the road. MIAMI WINS

Saints @ Redskins: New Orleans got another big game on offense from Drew Brees, but turnovers and the defense’s inability to stop anyone hurt them again. Washington had no chance against the Pats last week, dropping to 0-4 on the road. They’re 3-1 at home this season, so maybe they play better, but I still like the Saints in this one. NEW ORLEANS WINS

Sunday 4/425PM Games

Vikings @ Raiders: This is one of the most intriguing match-ups of the week. Minnesota is off to one of it’s best starts at 6-2, while the Raiders strong start was hurt by a loss to Pittsburgh a week ago. The Vikings escaped with an OT win against a good defensive team last week. I liked Minnesota to challenge for a playoff spot before the season, and while I thought Oakland would be better than a year ago (not hard when you only win three games), I didn’t think they’d be in a playoff battle this year. Minnesota has been carried by their defense this season, but I think Oakland finds a way to get back in the win column at home. OAKLAND WINS

Chiefs @ Broncos: Coming off their first loss of the season, the Broncos also had their QB on the sidelines during practice this week. As for Kansas City, they’ve started to look a lot better and have a second half schedule that could get them back in the AFC West race quickly if they continue to get better. That being said, Denver’s defense will be hungry after a poor showing against Indianapolis, so give me the home team to get back on track, especially if Manning plays. DENVER WINS

Giants @ Patriots: New York is taking on New England in a season that finds the Patriots undefeated… where have I heard this before? The last time this happened, it was week 17, and the Pats eked out their 16th win to stay undefeated in the regular season. Then went on to lose in the Superbowl to those same Giants. Now here we are, with the Giants offense starting to click, going into Foxborough with a chance to hand the Pats their first loss. These two teams play close games in the Manning-Brady era, and I don’t think that changes this week, something that will be different for the 2015 Pats. But it’s tough in a normal year to win in New England, so give me the Pats to stay undefeated. NEW ENGLAND WINS

Sunday Night Football

Cardinals @ Seahawks: Talk about a big division match-up in prime-time. Arizona has been the best team in the NFC West through the first half of the season. But two games with the Seahawks in the 2nd half will be the marker for how read they are. The reigning NFC champions have been very up and down this season and have a shot to get above .500. It’s hard to go into Seattle and win, but I like what the Cardinals have done on both sides of the ball this season about as little I like the Seahawks offense this season. ARIZONA WINS

Monday Night Football

Texans @ Bengals: Houston is coming off their bye, while the Bengals are coming off their 8th win of the season. The Texans won their game prior to their bye, but they weren’t all that impressive, particularly on the ground. Cincinnati continues to click on all cylinders and being at home with a chance to move to 9-0 is huge. CINCINNATI WINS